Help me cut down my list for 2011. Please.

[lowlylowlycook]

So next year will be my second year with a garden and my first growing tomatoes from seed. I'm using raised beds (double dug) so don't have a huge amount of space and I'm thinking I'll put in 12 tomato plants.

The problem is I also have Dr Carolyn's book. So far I've managed the following list which is too long and really should have a green when ripe added to it:

1. Sungold
2. Riesentraube
3. Kellogg's Breakfast or possibly KBX
4. Anna Russian
5. Cherokee Purple
6. Aker's West Virginia
7. Black Krim or possibly Black from Tula
8. Opalka
9. Druzba
10. Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red
11. Aunt Ginny's Prple
12. Soldacki
13. Brandywine (Cowlick's)
14. Olena Ukranian
15. German Head

I also plan to have maybe 3 early plants in containers, including I think Sophies' choice that will be floating on a lake since the book claims it likes wet soil. Is stupice still the go to for an early tomato?

Anyway, what should I drop from this list? The basic idea is to try a wide variety to find out what my personal preferences are.

[Bama mater]

LLC,
You've have a good list, I would go with these, Grow 2 of each, Good Luck.

1. Black Krim
2. Cowlicks Brandywine
3. German Head
4. Sungold (Hybrid) or Black Cherry (OP)
5. KBX or Kellogs Breakfast
6. Opalka

[RinTinTin]

Do not cross Sungold off of your list. If space is your problem, consider putting it in a container, as it is often grown as a "Patio Tomato". Because of its compact size, Stupice might also be considered for containerazation...still considered one of the go-to varieties for early, and high production.

As far as telling you what to drop from your list, I will not/cannot advise...I won't tell anybody NOT to grow any variety...too many variables...climate, soil, personal tastes, and the forever 'iffy' of one season to the next.

There are several members here who sell large varieties of seed. They are reliable, and can answer any questions for you that may arise throughout the growing season.

Good luck with your season regardless which varieties you end up selecting.

[Bama mater]

The Sungold (Hybrid) Cherry that I grew several years ago was not a compact it was a Indeterminate, very prolific, and grew well over 6' tall.
It is for sure one of the best tasting cherrys that you can grow.

[frogwash]

This probably isn't real helpful, but in my opinion, it's easier to find more space or make another bed than trying to pare down a tomato list. Last year I ended up pulling some of my wife's flowers rather than cull my list any more than i already had.

[Karla]

Sungold is definitely a great!tasing cherry tomato.
I grew mine in containers this year and was very prolific.
I also enjoyed!sunsugar cherry tomato.
The sunsugar cherry was more sweet tasting.

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

Sungold purchased from TGS is not a compact plant unless you do major trimming it is a very vigouris indeterminate plant.

Craig

[cleo88]

Looks like you have a lot of opinions on Sungold, which is fine since I don't have any, never having grown that one.

I want to put in a plug for German Head - it's yummy. I grew it in 2009. I like the "creamy" consistency.

I grew Opalka this year - it's also great. I like them a lot in salads, even though they are supposed to be a paste tomato. It was my most prolific plant of 20 varieties. Make sure you get real Opalka, not Fauxpalka as I did in 2009 (you can search on Fauxpalka to see pics and read all about it).

The Cowlick's I'm sending you, you won't be sorry you grew it.

I like that you have one yellow and one black on your list - I assume you are curious as to if you like those types of flavors. KBX is a great choice for a yellow, I hear, and people say good things about Black Krim although may people love Carbon the best it seems. I personally do not like the black "smokey" tasting varieties but others swoon over them, so you just never know until you put it in your mouth.

Another one that people freak about is Black Cherry, I can send some along with your Cowlick's if you are curious - could be a better bet than Riesentraube. If you are committed to a red cherry I can hook you up with some Tommy Toe - it's on my 2011 list and I have great hopes for it - I have some to spare.

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

Love cowlicks and balck cherry, kbx was good but need to re-grow to see where it places on my list I have a very limited garden space so I am still trying new varities each year.

P.S. I did not care for sungold but everyone I gave seedlings to has asked for it year after year so to each there own.

Craig

[Fusion_power]

From your list, I would consider culling German Head and Olena Ukrainian and possibly Andrew Rahart. The reason is that you have the basic traits of these varieties covered with other varieties in the list. I second the recommendation to grow Black Cherry. If you want a large black, J.D.'s Special C-Tex or Black From Tula will perform better in your climate. J.D.'s is a bit better flavored.

DarJones

[lowlylowlycook]

Well I put German Head and Andrew Rahart on there because Carolyn described the first as have a unique texture and I think Rahart is supposed to be particularly dense.

Isn't Aunt Ginny's Purple supposed to be Brandywienish? I think that originally I put it on the list because I didn't want to start out with something as persnickity as Brandywine, but cleo88's offer makes it a bit redundant. Mabye drop that and Olena?

Oh, and I am open to substitutions as well. After a bit of searching around, I think I will take you up on the Black Cherry seeds cleo88. Do you need another SASE?

[Marko]

Cowlick's is few days earlier than Aunt Ginny's Purple and much more productive. There's not much difference taste wise.

[Direct Sunlight]

I was not surprised to experience for myself what I'd heard others say about the Cherokee Purple. If you have other selections that produce better it might be worthwhile to leave it out. Of course Texas is a lot different than Illinois but the Cherokee Purples I had (started from seed) were weaker plants and produced an average of 3 tomatoes each this spring. I had the same issue with Brandywines last year-- good taste but very limited production. The only time the Brandywines produced well was in late November, hardly a harvest that can be counted on as the frost could take it away any day.

[annecros]

It has been 4 years since I grew Sungold, but it was 9 feet top to toe in my climate and conditions. Lovely. But I prefer Galina's to be honest. Still a honker at around 5 to 6 feet.

I just like to see them stretch, and see them perform to their potential. But anything will grow in a 5 gallon homer bucket.

[b54red]

I grew Anna Russian this year and it was one of my largest plants with very few fruit and the taste was just so so. If you want a fantastic large pink go with Stump of the World or Limbaugh's Legacy both did better for me than Cowlicks but not by too much. KBX is a fantastic gold tomato that competes in taste with the best of the pinks and reds. If you want a large delicious very productive red beefsteak you might want to try Neves Azorean Red.
I loved Black Krim but found JD's Special C Tex was a little larger and produced for longer with a taste nearly the same. Kosovo was a terrific large heart that produced great and was also a good early producer that also did very well in the heat. Stupice is a winner for an early tomato but next year I will pick off many of the greenies to get a little more size from the remaining fruit.